First off, I have to tell you guys I'm a noob -- so I have to ask for your patience.

I've just put together an i7 3930K build. I've tried two sets of GSkill 8gb RAM kits for my new system: a pair of 1600s and a pair of 1333s. The 1333 Ripjaw kit is at CL9 and works pretty well with the Asus P9X79 Pro motherboard -- keeping my idle temps at around 34°C and my load temps below 70°C.

The 1600 MHz kit, on the other hand, is XMP capable. But the XMP profile kicks the Vcore up to 1.32v. This consequently raises my idle temps to around 41ºC average across all six cores. The boost in performance is however obvious right off the bat.

I'd prefer to keep my system running with the 1600MHz RAM on XMP mode. But I'm not sure that 41°C idle and 73°C load (that's just after 15 minutes of the Linpack test) is safe for gaming and everyday use. Should I be worried? How much degradation will I cause my CPU by running permanently along the abovementioned temps?

I'm using a Corsair H80 cooler, by the way. I've tried reseating the block and re-applying TIM several times -- this changed nothing. I'm pretty sure I've got good contact and a solid fit. I also think I've got good airflow in my HAF X -- cable management is nice and tidy, no obstructions, plus I've mounted an extra 200mm fan at the top to further improve exhaust.